Washington, D.C. -Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued the following statement after an Inspector General report found the Department of Justice (DOJ) failed to prioritize the investigation of mortgage fraud and publicly reported inaccurate statistics regarding the prosecution of mortgage fraud cases:
“Maryland’s home foreclosure rate is currently second in the nation, and the thousands of Maryland residents who have been the victims of predatory lending, loan modification scams, and abusive mortgage servicing practices want to know that federal law enforcement takes these crimes seriously. I am deeply troubled that the FBI field offices visited by the Inspector General - including the Baltimore field office - have not prioritized the investigation of mortgage fraud despite the appropriation of nearly $200 million to the FBI for this purpose. I am also concerned that the DOJ publicly cited inflated and unreliable statistics regarding the number of mortgage fraud prosecutions it has initiated. I intend to seek a briefing from the Attorney General to understand what can be done to ensure the DOJ is finally prioritizing its responsibility to protect consumers from mortgage fraud."
